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University Research Council (URC)

The University Research Council (URC), administered by the Senior Vice President for Research, is the governance body for research operations and strategies at Penn State. The URC members serve as research liaisons for their academic areas including University Park, the commonwealth campuses and the College of Medicine at Hershey. 

The members include Associate Deans of Research, Institute Directors, Director of Federal Relations, Assistant Vice Presidents, Fellows, and other PSU delegates appointed by the Senior Vice President for Research that are broadly representative of the research-oriented focus among the Penn State community.  Meetings occur eight times throughout the calendar year.   

For questions regarding URC meetings or membership, please contact osvpr@psu.edu. For a printer-friendly table of URC members, please click here. 

 

 

URC Members

headshot of omid ansari

Omid Ansary

Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor's Office
C119 Olmsted Building, Harrisburg, PA

axa8@psu.edu

717-948-6103
" "

Andrew August

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Penn State Abington
119 Sutherland Building, Abington, PA

axa24@psu.edu

215-881-7300
" "

D. Scott Bennett

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
College of the Liberal Arts
105 Sparks Building, University Park, PA

dsb10@psu.edu

814-865-1439
""

Michael J. Bernstein

Director of Research
Penn State Abington
119 Sutherland Building Abington, PA

mjb70@psu.edu

215-881-7479
""

Mallika Bose

Associate Dean for Research, Creative Activity, and Graduate Studies
College of Arts and Architecture
102A Borland Building, University Park, PA

mub13@psu.edu

814-863-0408
" "

Rick Brazier

Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research
Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses
111 Old Main, University Park, PA

rab27@psu.edu

814-863-0327
" "

Sarah Bronson

Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Research
College of Medicine
H166 Physiology, Hershey, PA

skb8@psu.edu

717-531-5194
" "

James Crandall

Director
Environmental Health and Safety
5B Eisenhower Parking Deck, University Park, PA 16802-2116

jxc6277@psu.edu

814-863-3767
" "

Kathryn Drager

Associate Dean for Research
College of Health & Human Development
325 Health & Human Development Building, University Park, PA

kdd5@psu.edu

814-863-2426
""

Roger Egolf

Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA) Chair
Faculty Senate
315P Lehigh Valley Bl, Allentown, PA

rae4@psu.edu

610-285-5110
Deborah Ehrenthal Headshot

Deborah Ehrenthal

Director
Social Science Research Institute
114 Henderson Building University Park, PA

dbe5172@psu.edu

814-865-1528
""

Melissa Erekson

Assistant Vice President
Corporate Engagement
200 Innovation Blvd, Suite 119 University Park, PA

mpe5239@psu.edu

814-865-0023

Jenni Evans

Director
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences
509 Walker Building, University Park, PA

jle7@psu.edu

814-865-3240
" "

Corey Griffin

Associate Dean for Research
Penn State Altoona
W110 Smith Building, Altoona, PA

czg443@psu.edu

814-949-5746
" "

Paul Hallacher

Special Assistant to the Chancellor
Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor for Research and Economic Development Office
777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA

pmh105@psu.edu

" "

Raymond Hohl

Director
Penn State Cancer Institute
400 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033

rhohl@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

717-531-6585
" "

Mihoko Hosoi

Associate Dean for Collections, Research, and Scholarly Communications
University Libraries
510 Paterno Library, University Park, PA

mxh5873@psu.edu

814-863-5451
" "

Steven Huddart

Senior Associate Dean
Smeal College of Business
210 Business Building, University Park, PA

sjh11@psu.edu

814-865-0041
" "

Judy Hupcey

Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research
College of Nursing
Hershey Medical Center

jhupcey@psu.edu

717-531-4160
" "

Zuleima Karpyn, Chair 2021-2022

Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research
College of Earth & Mineral Sciences
151 Hosler Building, University Park, PA

ztk101@psu.edu

814-863-2273
" "

Greg Kelly

Senior Associate Dean for Research, Outreach, Technology
College of Education
241 Chambers Building, University Park, PA

gjk13@psu.edu

814-863-1489

Ivor Knight

Associate Dean for Research
Penn State Behrend
103 Glehnhill Farmhousem, Erie, PA

ltk2@psu.edu

814-898-6160

Daniel Leri

Director
Innovation Park
101C Technology Center, University Park, PA

danleri@psu.edu

814-865-2880
" "

George A. Lesieutre

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
College of Engineering
102 B Hammond Building, University Park, PA

g-lesieutre@psu.edu

814-863-0103
""

Steven Loerch

Senior Associate Dean and Interim Associate Dean for Research
College of Agricultural Sciences
201 Agriculture Administration Building, University Park, PA

scl40@psu.edu

814-865-2541
" "

Hong Ma

Associate Dean for Research and Innovation
Eberly College of Science
517 Thomas Building, University Park, PA

hxm16@psu.edu

814-863-0555

Eduardo Mendieta

Associate Director
Rock Ethics Institute
203 Sparks Building, University Park, PA

ezm5325@psu.edu

814-865-1553
" "

Anthony Olorunnisola

(Elect July 1, 2020) Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Education
College of Communications
215 Carnegie Building, University Park, PA 16802

axo8@psu.edu

814-863-7997
Headshot of Dara Purvis

Dara E. Purvis

Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships
Penn State Law
327 Lewis Katz Building, University Park, PA

dep23@psu.edu

814-865-8996
" "

Christopher Rahn

Associate Dean for Innovation
College of Engineering
150A Hammond Building, University Park, PA

cdr10@psu.edu

814-865-6237
" "

Clive Randall

Director
Materials Research Institute
N-221 Millennium Science, University Park, PA

car4@psu.edu

814-863-1328
""

Andrew Read

Director
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
W230A Millennium Science Complex, University Park, PA

afr3@psu.edu

814-867-2396

Tom Richard

Director
Institutes of Energy and the Environment
131 Land & Water Research Building, University Park, PA

tlr20@psu.edu

814-863-0291
" "

Paul Shrivastava

Director and Chief Sustainability Officer
The Sustainability Institute
103 Land & Water Research Building, University Park, PA

pxs993@psu.edu

814-865-4415
" "

Larry Sinoway

Director
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI); Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute
500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033

lsinoway@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

717-531-6853
""

Allan Sonsteby

Associate Director, Office Head, Communications and Navigation Office
College of Information Sciences and Technology
300 Information Sciences and Technology Building, University Park, PA 16802

sonsteby@psu.edu

814-865-7299
""

Jennifer Sparrow

Associate Vice President, Teaching and Learning with Technology
Office of the Vice President for Information Technology
105D University Support Bldg. II, University Park, PA

jls997@psu.edu

814-863-0421
Andrea Tapia Headshot

Andrea Tapia

Associate Dean for Research
College of Information Sciences and Technology
E380 Westgate Building, University Park, PA

axh50@psu.edu

814-865-1524
""

Debra Thurley

Assistant Vice President
Office for Research Protections
The 330 Building Suite 205 University Park , PA

djd116@psu.edu

814-865-2955
" "

Harl Tolbert

Assistant Vice President for Research and Director
Office of Technology Management
113 Technology Center, University Park, PA

hrt26@psu.edu

814-865-6277
""

Gloria (Geanie) Umberger

Associate Vice President for Research and Director of Industry Research Collaborations
Office of Industrial Partnerships
101B Technology Center, University Park, PA

gumberger@psu.edu

814-867-0137
" "

Sheila L. Vrana

Associate Dean for Research
College of Medicine
H138 Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

svrana@psu.edu

717-531-8495
" "

Amanda Wintersteen

Director of Federal Relations
Office of Government and Community Relations
117 Old Main, University Park, PA

AWintersteen@psu.edu

814-865-5431

Invited Attendees

Pallavi Eswara

Director
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
304 Old Main, University Park, PA

pxe10@psu.edu

814-865-2626
" "

Lara Fowler

Assistant Director for Outreach and Engagement
Institutes of Energy and the Environment
Lewis Katz Building, University Park, PA

lbf10@psu.edu

""

Patty Hickman

Financial Officer
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
118 Transportation Research Building, University Park, PA

pas163@psu.edu

814-865-1987

Jenifer Hoffman (per Judy Hupcey)

Director for Grants and Contracts
Center for Nursing Research
201 Nursing Sciences Building, University Park, PA

qzh2@psu.edu

814-865-9337
""

Michael Lanagan

Associate Director
Materials Research Institute
N-329 Millennium Science Complex, University Park, PA

mxl46@psu.edu

814-865-6992
""

Vijay Narayanan

Interim Director of Limited Submissions
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
W323 Westgate Building, University Park, PA

vxn9@psu.edu

814-863-0392
""

Chris Pfeiffer

Limited Submission Program Manager, Business Systems Analyst
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
304 Old Main, University Park, PA

cxp7@psu.edu

814-863-2173
Erica Smithwick Headshot

Erica Smithwick, Administrative Fellow 2021-2022

Distinguished Professor of Geography, Associate Director
Institutes of Energy and the Environment
406 Old Main, University Park, PA

eus17@psu.edu

814-865-7786
" "

Ruth Weber

Assistant Vice President for Research Operations
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
304 Old Main, University Park, PA

rim100@psu.edu

814-876-1463

Ex-Officio Members

""

David Giannantonio

Assistant General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
227 West Beaver Avenue, Suite 507, State College, PA 16801

djg455@psu.edu

814-867-4088
" "

John Hanold

Associate Vice President for Research and Director
Office of Sponsored Programs
110 Technology Center

jhh6@psu.edu

814-863-0768
" "

Michelle Hutnik

Director of Research Analytics and Communications
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
304 Old Main, University Park, PA

mzh17@psu.edu

814-863-6311
""

Todd Jackson

Director
Animal Resource Program
101 Centralized Biological Lab, University Park, PA

taj5330@psu.edu

814-863-7778
" "

Leslie Parent

Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Research and Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
College of Medicine
H175, Hershey Medical Center

lparent@psu.edu

717-531-7199
" "

Shashank Priya

Associate Vice President for Research and Director of Strategic Initiatives
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
304 Old Main

sup103@psu.edu

814-863-9657
" "

James "Jim" Taylor

Interim Associate CIO for Research
Director, Office of Research Information Systems;
105 The 330 Building

jlt41@psu.edu

814-865-0681
" "

Michael F. Verderame

Senior Associate Dean
The Graduate School
211 Kern Building, University Park, PA

mxv8@psu.edu

814-865-2516
Headshot of Dr. Lora Weiss

Lora G. Weiss

Senior Vice President
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
304 Old Main, University Park, PA

lgw1@psu.edu

814-865-6332
" "

Candice Yekel

Associate Vice President for Research and Director
Office of Research Protections
Suite 250, The 330 Building, University Park, PA

cay3@psu.edu

814-865-1775